The 2010 UK election is coming… are you ready? Churches and groups are being encouraged to raise environment issues in the run-up to the election. Be it ‘asking the climate question’ on your doorstep with candidates or organising a hustings, there are lots of resources and help at hand to engage your church and group with the candidates in your constituency.
Below we summarise some of the available resources – if you know of other resources or are arranging a hustings or event let others know by leaving a comment.
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sk the climate question
Ask The Climate Question brings together a coalition of UK environmental and development charities and not-for-profits to put climate change firmly on the election agenda. Focusing on the marginal seats where the candidates and political parties are listening the hardest, they are calling on everyone to: Ask the Climate Question.
Further information and resources: Ask The Climate Questions main website | Tearfund (including a poster for your window: colour and black & white ) | Christian Aid | Friends of the Earth
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) have produced material to help churches to prepare for a General Election: www.churcheselection.org.uk
The material includes the following papers:
Faith in Politics – This document covers a range of the most important policy issues, such as children and young people, criminal justice, the economy, education, environment, health, migration, poverty, and others. For each topic there are sections on subject background, the main issues, suggested questions to candidates and contact details for more information. All the subject sections in Faith in Politics are also available as web pages here.
Planning a Hustings Meeting – Guidelines for local churches, Churches Together groups or Christian organisations thinking of organising a hustings meeting.
General Election 2010 – A Theology – A paper which looks at the theology of engaging in elections and criteria that can be applied when deciding how to vote.
You can subscribe for the latest election news from CTBI here.
The Church of England has published a number of resources, including prayers to help voters as they consider their options in the forthcoming General Election.
Prayers – The prayers remind voters that they can make a difference, ask that the concerns of all may be heard and seek protection from despair and cynicism. Alongside the prayers are details of relevant debates in the General Synod over the last five years and what people have been saying about voting: www.cofe.anglican.org/generalelection/
Countering Racist Politics – The Church of England has also produced a guidance note on countering far right political parties, extremist groups and racist politics
The Diocese of Oxford‘s Diocesan Rural Officer has prepared a paper on rural affairs for churches: Rural Churches and the General Election 2010
Ruth Conway tells us that there will be a:
Climate Question Time, Wednesday April 21st at 7.30 pm
The Assembly Room, Oxford Town Hall.
Panel: Andrew Smith MP (Labour), Steve Goddard (Liberal Democrat), Edward Argar (Conservative) and Sushila Dhall (Green Party)
Organised on behalf of the ACQ (Ask the Climate Question) Coalition which includes Greenpeace, WWF, Oxfam, RSPB, Christian Aid, World Development Movement, People and Planet, Tearfund, Green Alliance. Especially in marginalised constituencies, they are asking their supporters to challenge the parliamentary candidates on their party’s policies for combating climate change.
When candidates come knocking in OXFORD EAST, make sure you ASK THE CLIMATE QUESTION
For further information see http://www.asktheclimatequestion.org.uk
There will be an election forum to which all the candidates in the Chesham and Amersham constituency will be invited in The Drake Hall, Amersham. 8.00pm on Thursday 29 April (assuming the election is 6th May).
Reading East Election 2010
Quiz the Candidates on sustainability issues with
Professor Chris Garforth of Reading University on Tuesday 13th April, 8.00 pm, at The Warehouse.
Climate Change, a sustainable Reading, who gets your vote?
In 2010 Reading East will elect its MP for the next five years. Find out what your candidates would do to combat Climate Change and help build a more sustainable Reading
Do you have a burning question: Environment, Energy
Transport, Biodiversity, Sustainable Economy?
Submit it in advance at http://www.gren.org.uk
Question YOUR candidates
Reading East: Monday 19 April, 7.30pm, at
Reading Hindu Temple (car parking on local roads)
Reading West: Monday 26 April, 7.30pm, at
Tilehurst Methodist Church (parking at the local Co-Op)
Reading Faith Forum are giving you the opportunity to meet and question your candidates. We need your questions before the meeting, so please send them to Jan Hearn (jan@strongertogether.org.uk 35-39 London Street Reading RG1 4PS) by April 6.
Please indicate whether you will be at the East or West meeting to ask your question.
You may also be interested in the VoteGlobal website that aims to make this election count for the world’s poor: http://www.voteglobal.org.uk/
On Monday April 19th at 7 pm, candidates hoping to become MP for Chesham and Amersham, will be at Chesham High School to say what they can do for this town and this country. This event is being organised by Chesham High’s sixth form politics students. The main part of the evening will be a question time format involving the audience. Candidates invited to attend are from the three major political parties – Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrats, plus the Green Party. Acceptances have already arrived from Anthony Gajadharsingh, Labour Party; Tim Starkey, Liberal Democrats and Nick Wilkins of the Green Party. Cheryl Gillian, our existing MP, unfortunately has unmovable Shadow Ministerial obligations that evening but will be sending another Conservative speaker in her stead.
This event is free but tickets must be applied for beforehand by email to events@cheshamhigh.bucks.sch.uk or by phone on 01494 782854 with your name and address and whether or not you are a first-time voter. Then a numbered admission ticket will be sent to you. If you wish to raise a question at the event please submit by email before 12 noon on Thursday 15th April.